Sugar-free hard coatings prepared from liquid maltitol comprising dp4+fraction

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a sugar-free hard coating prepared from a liquid maltitol syrup comprising DP 4+  fraction. In the chewing gum process, the liquid maltitol can be applied at high dry substance, i.e. higher than 65%. The obtained hard coating is crunchy, non-sticky and is not cracking during post-processing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sugar-free hard coating prepared froma liquid coating syrup of maltitol comprising DP₄₊ fraction and from 95and 97% maltitol by weight of the dry matter content. The presentinvention relates to sugar-free hard-coated comestibles having regularsurfaces and non-sticky hard coating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional panning procedures to prepare hard coatings generally workwith sucrose, but recent advances in panning have allowed the use ofother carbohydrate materials to be used in the place of sucrose. Sucroseproves to be detrimental for teeth and causes dental caries due to easyformation of acids. Therefore coatings are nowadays increasingly made ofsugar-free compositions.

The appearance of the coating is sometimes affected by thecrystallisation difficulties. To obtain good hard coatings, evencrystallisation must occur during application and drying.

EP 0 201 412 describes a confectionery or pharmaceutical productprovided with a hard sugarless coating obtained by hard coating using amaltitol syrup having a dry matter content from 50 to 70% by weight, thesaid coating being essentially crystalline and comprising at least 90%by weight of maltitol.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sugar-free hard-coated comestiblesconsisting of a hard coating and an edible, chewable and/orpharmaceutical core and said hard coating is obtainable by using acoating syrup comprising at least 95% maltitol and characterised in thatdry matter content of syrup is from 68-72%, and dry matter content ofsyrup is comprising from 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.

The present invention relates to sugar-free hard-coated comestibleswherein the hard coating is obtainable from a maltitol syrup which isconsisting of:

-   -   a) From 95-97% by weight of maltitol,    -   b) Maximum 1.5% by weight of DP₁,    -   c) From 0-1.5% by weight of DP₃, and    -   d) From 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.

The current invention further relates to sugar-free hard-coatedcomestibles wherein the core is selected from the group consisting ofpharmaceutical tablets, chewing gum, confectionery product, chocolateand nut.

The current invention describes a sugar-free hard-coated comestiblewherein the core is chewing gum and the hard coating is non-sticky andthe surface of the hard coating is regularly formed and remains intactduring processing.

The current invention relates to a process for preparing sugar-freehard-coated comestibles and said process is comprising the followingsteps:

-   -   a) Applying a coating syrup, which is containing a maltitol        syrup, onto the cores of the comestibles in a moving bed of a        coating apparatus,    -   b) Applying maltitol in powder form for obtaining coated cores.    -   c) Drying the coated cores by using drying air in the        temperature range of from 15 to 45° C. and a moisture content of        at most 50% relative humidity and said process is characterised        in that maltitol syrups of step a) has a dry matter content from        68-72% and said maltitol syrup is comprising 0.7-1.5% by weight        of DP₄₊.    -   The current invention relates to a process wherein in step a)        dry matter content of maltitol syrup is consisting of:        -   i) From 95-97% by weight of maltitol,        -   ii) Maximum 1.5% by weight of DP1,        -   iii) From 0-1.5% by weight of DP3,        -   iv) From 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.

Furthermore, the current invention relates to the use of maltitol syrupcomprising from 0.7-1.5% DP₄₊ on dry matter for improving hard coatingof hard-coated comestibles.

The current invention relates to said use wherein the syrup has a drymatter content of from 68-72%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph, with magnification of 6×10.

It shows that the hard coating prepared with the liquid maltitol syrupof 96% maltitol and 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊ based on dry matter, isgiving a smooth regular surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sugar-free hard-coated comestiblesconsisting of a hard coating and an edible, chewable and/orpharmaceutical core and said hard coating is obtainable by using acoating syrup comprising at least 95% maltitol and characterised in thatdry matter content of syrup is from 68-72%, and dry matter content ofsyrup is comprising from 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.

The present invention relates to sugar-free hard-coated comestibleswherein the hard coating is obtainable from a maltitol syrup which isconsisting of:

-   -   a) From 95-97% by weight of maltitol,    -   b) Maximum 1.5% by weight of DP₁,    -   c) From 0-1.5% by weight of DP₃, and    -   d) From 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.

EP 0 201 412 describes a maltitol syrup which is consisting of 97.1% byweight of maltitol, 1.1% by weight of sorbitol and 1.8% by weight ofmaltotriitol. Said syrup is devoid of any DP₄₊ fraction and it isclearly demonstrated that it is not possible to obtain a regular surfacewhen applying the maltitol syrup at a dry substance content higher than65%. In cases where higher dry substance is used, the crystallisation isirregular and defects on the surface appear.

Surprisingly, the current invention demonstrates that maltitol syrupscontaining from 0.7-1.5% DP₄₊ on dry matter content, and from 95-97%maltitol on dry matter content, are suitable to use syrups at a drysubstance higher than 65%, i.e. at dry substance of 68-72% and yetregular hard coatings are obtained (see FIG. 1). Preferably, maltitolsyrups having a dry matter content from 70-72%, result in a hard coatingwith a homogeneous surface.

The hard coatings can be prepared according to a process which issimilar to the process described for sorbitol coating in WO 91/09989,and said hard coating process comprises the following steps:

-   -   a) Applying a coating syrup, containing maltitol syrup, onto the        cores of the comestibles in a moving bed of a coating apparatus,    -   b) Applying maltitol in powder form for obtaining coated cores,    -   c) Drying the coated cores by using drying air in the        temperature range of from 15 to 45° C. and a moisture content of        at most 50% relative humidity and said process is characterised        in that maltitol syrup of step a) has a dry matter content from        68-72% and said maltitol syrup is comprising 0.7-1.5% by weight        of DP₄₊.    -   The current invention relates to a process wherein step a) dry        matter is content of maltitol syrup is consisting of:        -   i) From 95-97% by weight of maltitol,        -   ii) Maximum 1.5% by weight of DP I,        -   iii) From 0-1.5% by weight of DP3,        -   iv) From 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.

The hard coating can be prepared by applying a coating syrup which iscontaining besides the maltitol syrup, additives, such as anti-stickingcomponents, binding agents, dispersing agents, film formers, colouringsagents and/or flavouring agents. In fact, any colouring agent which isapproved for use in foodstuffs may be used. Furthermore, flavouringagents in liquid or solid form of both natural and synthetic origin canbe used.

The hard coating of said sugar-free hard-coated comestibles consists offrom 1 to 100 layers.

In general a plurality of layers is obtained by applying single coatsallowing the layers to dry, and then repeating the process. Any numberof the coats may be applied to the core. Coatings of from 1 to 100layers are easily obtained, preferably the number of layers is between 1and 40. The optimal amount of layers will depend on the desiredapplication and can be determined experimentally.

The current invention further relates to sugar-free hard-coatedcomestibles wherein the core is selected from the group consisting ofpharmaceutical tablets, chewing gum, confectionery product, chocolateand nut.

Especially a sugar-free hard-coated comestible wherein the core ischewing gum and the hard coating is non-sticky and the surface of thehard coating is regularly formed and remains intact during processingand during any post-treatment (such as packaging) is disclosed by thecurrent invention. A coating syrup prepared from a maltitol syrup whichis comprising 99-100% by weight of maltitol, gives a coating which isbrittle and results in breakage and causes problems after processing,such as during packaging, etc.

The effectiveness of the current invention is further demonstrated bythe hard coating of a chewing gum (example 1—FIG. 1). FIG. 1demonstrates the regular surface of the hard coating.

Furthermore, the current invention relates to the use of maltitol syrupcomprising from 0.7-1.5% DP₄₊ on dry matter for improving hard coatingof hard-coated comestibles.

The current invention relates to said use wherein the syrup has a drymatter content of from 68-72%.

The use of said maltitol syrup results in a regular surface of hardcoating.

In particular the content of DP₄₊ in the liquid maltitol syrup, makesthe current syrup suitable for hard coating process and for obtaining aregular surface.

The current invention has the following advantages:

-   -   the liquid maltitol syrup can be applied at high dry matter        content and yet regular surfaces of hard coating can be        obtained,    -   the process for hard coating does not need evaporation of the        excess of water, since the liquid maltitol syrup is available at        high dry substance, and this is resulting in a more economical        process.    -   the coating remains intact during processing and during handling        afterwards, such as during packaging etc,

The present invention is illustrated by way of the following example.

EXAMPLE 1

The coating was performed in a 2 kg coating pan.

1.5 kg cores, wherein the weight of uncoated centres was 0.9 g each,were rotating at 8 rpm. 5 ml coating syrup (liquid maltitol syrupconsisting of 96% maltitol, 1.4% DP1, 1.4% DP3, and 0.9% DP4+ based ondry matter content and having a dry matter content of 70.3%) (C⋆Maltidex163K9) was spread over the centres. Dry maltitol powder was added toavoid stickiness and to start the crystallisation. The drying step wascarried out by blowing air into the coating pan at 24° C. The coatingwas built up by repetitively applying this process. The amount of syrupadded increased up to 30 ml/layer.

The coated chewing gum is shown in FIG. 1, wherein it is clearlydemonstrated that the hard coating has a regular, homogeneous surface.

The hard coating remains intact during processing and during handling(packaging) afterwards.

1. Sugar-free hard-coated comestibles consisting of a hard coating andan edible, chewable and/or pharmaceutical core and said hard coating isobtainable by using a coating syrup comprising at least 95% maltitol andcharacterised in that a) dry matter content of syrup is from 68-72%, andb) dry matter content of syrup is comprising from 0.7-1.5% by weight ofDP₄₊.
 2. Sugar-free hard-coated comestibles according to claim 1characterised in that said maltitol syrup is consisting of: a) From95-97% by weight of maltitol, b) Maximum 1.5% by weight of DP1. c) From0-1.5% by weight of DP3, d) From 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊. 3.Sugar-free hard-coated comestibles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein thecore is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical tablets,chewing gum, confectionery product, chocolate and nut.
 4. Sugar-freehard-coated comestibles according to claim 3 characterised in that thecore is chewing gum and the hard coating is non-sticky and the surfaceof the hard coating is regularly formed and remains intact duringprocessing.
 5. Process for preparing sugar-free hard-coated comestiblesand said process is comprising the following steps: a) Applying acoating syrup, containing a maltitol syrup, onto the cores of thecomestibles in a moving bed of a coating apparatus, b) Applying maltitolin powder form for obtaining coated cores, c) Drying the coated cores byusing drying air in the temperature range of from 15 to 45° C. and amoisture content of at most 50% relative humidity and said process ischaracterised in that maltitol syrups of step a) has a dry mattercontent from 68-72% and said maltitol syrup is comprising 0.7-1.5% byweight of DP₄₊.
 6. Process according to claim 5 characterised in that instep a) dry matter of maltitol syrup is consisting of: a) From 95-97% byweight of maltitol, b) Maximum 1.5% by weight of DP1, c) From 0-1.5% byweight of DP3, d) From 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊.
 7. Use of maltitolsyrup comprising from 0.7-1.5% by weight of DP₄₊ on dry matter forimproving hard coating of hard-coated comestibles.
 8. Use according atclaim 7 characterised in that said syrup is applied at dry mattercontent from 68-72%.